


Calculate The Time It Takes To Fall In Love

by ackleogy



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: College AU, M/M, Shy!Jared, TA!Jensen, protective!jensen, student!Jared, will tag more as necessary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-08 22:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4323501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackleogy/pseuds/ackleogy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared has always hated Physics, but the new TA might change his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Physics sucks. No one can tell him otherwise, but hey, if he wanted to be an engineer, he’ll just need to suffer through it.

Jared was on his way to his recitation class, dreading the time wasted trying to figure out this week’s convoluted worksheet. He really needed to find a tutor. It just sucks that the graduate teaching assistant for this class is no help at all. It's probably just a requirement to get his Master’s.

Jared finally heads into the classroom with 10 seconds to spare, leaving him an empty spot in the back of the classroom. He grabs his notebook and calculator out of his backpack and tries to get situated for the next two, tortuous hours. When he looks up though, he’s caught off guard. It’s not the normal TA chilling at the front desk with the words, “Complete Problems 1 through 9 in the textbook,” but rather someone that takes Jared’s breath away.

He was beautiful. The first thing Jared taking note of being his gorgeous green eyes. Even this far in the back of the classroom, he can catch their vibrancy from the light coming in the windows. His hair is styled messily as if he just gotten out of bed, which goes along with the stubble as if he hasn’t found time to shave between grading homework and holding office hours. When he starts to talk, his smile gleams so brightly, Jared’s heart skips a beat.

“Hi guys! My name is Jensen. Stephen recently received a job offer and has decided to accept it, so I will be filling in for the rest of the term as your new TA, if you don’t guys don’t mind,” Jensen smiles.

A resounding “Not at all!” filled the room, probably just as relieved as Jared to not have to deal with the useless TA, but now Jared has to deal with the problem of having a major crush on the new TA who goes by the name of Jensen.


	2. Chapter 2

Great. Just when he thought Physics couldn’t get any more worse. The universe just loves proving him wrong.

Jensen goes to write his full name on the whiteboard, so where the usual daily assignment used to lie, it’s now replaced with the name, “Jensen Ackles,” in big, blue letters. There’s a 99% chance that Jared is going to be typing his name into a search engine on Facebook. Not that he’s obsessed or anything. Okay, maybe a little, but he will never admit to it.

“That’s my full name. Be sure to put that on top of all your homework assignments so I’ll be sure to get it when you return your regular homework into the box. That way I can return it to you in class instead of you having to come into office hours.” Jensen grabs a piece of paper lying on the front desk.

“I’m also not like most TAs on campus, so instead of just passing around an attendance sheet like my previous TAs did when I was an undergrad, I’m actually going to try learning all your names.”

Jensen runs down the list of names while Jared watches from his peripherals as each classmate’s hand is raised. He eventually moves on to blindly staring at the gorgeous TA’s face and admiring his features. The freckles on his face, his jawline, his lips…

“-lecki?”

Jared blinks multiple times trying to return to his senses. He looks around the room to see some of his classmates staring back at him wondering why he hasn’t said anything.

“Is Jared Padalecki not here?” Jensen questions as he looks around the room for a raised hand. Jared shoots his hand up.

“Oh, sorry! I- I’m here!”

Jensen follows the voice and his eyes connect with Jared’s. This is the first eye contact they had ever since Jared knew of Jensen’s existence, and what kills him is when Jensen starts to smile.

“There you are! I was nervous I scared some of the students off when they heard they were getting a new TA.”

Jared awkwardly chuckles and shrinks to himself. Great. He just made a fool out of himself. Great first impression, Jared.

\--------------

It was so unfair. No one can be that good looking. Jared was now stuck staring down at the worksheet in front of him in an attempt to avoid staring at Jensen for too long. He didn’t want to repeat the attendance fiasco. The flipside to this was that maybe he can actually get some work done instead of blindly staring out the window daydreaming. He attempts the first few problems, however, before he gives up and opens his notes to stare at his scribbles on the equations of motion for a good two hours.

\--------------

The clock finally reads 2:50 and everybody around him gets up to go turn in today’s completed assignment. Most of his classmates are Physics majors, so most of them have left already to head to their next lecture which starts in 10 minutes. Jared is fortunate enough to have this as his last class of the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, Jared doesn’t feel very fortunate as he stares down at the worksheet noticing the huge lack of pencil lead on the paper.

He’s the last one to pack up his belongings as he watches Jensen wave and smile to the remaining students leaving. Jared slowly heads up to the front desk and looks up to see Jensen smiling at him. His perfect, beautiful smile. God, this man is going to be the death of him.

“Jared, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Jared was a little caught off guard that Jensen remembered his name.

“I knew it! I’m usually bad at remembering names, but not this time,” Jensen laughs, and Jared wants to hear it every day for as long as he lives.

Jared goes to hand in the worksheet, but as Jensen reaches it for it, Jared can see his smile dampen, which makes Jared want to cry. His heart suddenly feels heavier. He never wants to be the reason to cause Jensen’s smile to dim.

“Jared, you didn’t finish any of today’s problems. Are you having troubles in class?” Jensen voice changes from a voice of joy to concern. He looks up to Jared’s eyes and Jared can’t help but be completely honest to upset the man any further.

“Sorry, it’s just… Physics is my hardest subject. I’m not really understanding it too much. I’m not dumb though! I’m doing just fine in my other classes, but I don’t know, it’s only with Physics,” Jared sighs.

“Well, Jared, you can come into my office hours, and I’ll be glad to help you. Or if you’re looking for a tutor-“

“No, no!” Jared interjects. The last thing he wants is to be alone with the man. Who knows what will happen? What he would confess. The last thing he needs is to have Jensen learn his deep, dark secrets. “I’m fine, really. I’m sure it’s just taking me some time to adjust back to doing school work after the break,” Jared half lies.

“Well, if you’re sure Jared, but just know if you need any help, I’m always here for you.” He grins one last time. Jared awkwardly smiles back and almost makes a break for the exit.

He can see it now. “Death by Jensen Ackles” etched on his gravestone.  


	3. Chapter 3

_“I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” Jensen whispers into his ear. “I don’t want to be anyone’s but yours.”_

_Jared gasps again before he feels Jensen caress his face and then the slightest touch of his lips against his own. The kiss was gentle and sweet as Jared always imagined his first kiss. He always wanted to save his first kiss for someone he truly cared about, and he feels so incredibly lucky that the person was Jensen. Jensen broke away to look deeply into Jared’s eyes. He sees so much love and adoration that it makes his heart swell._

_“Jared…”_

Jared woke up to the sound of his phone alarm that he set last night for eight in the morning. He took five minutes of just lying in his bed staring at the wall before deciding to actually get up because he didn’t want to be late to his first class of the day again. He didn’t want to repeat that mistake last week when he accidentally fell back asleep and missed his first two lectures. He sits up in his bed and wipes the drool from his mouth, trying not to think too much about the dream he just had. He touches his fingers to his lips and imagines he can still feel the tingle on his lips as if the kiss actually happened. Jared sighs. No, it will never happen. He just has to accept that. He’s his TA. His kind, beautiful, perfect TA, who he’s not even sure has a girlfriend, or is even gay for the matter! Jared just needs to get through this term and then everything will be fine. His life will go on, and he’ll never have to see Jensen again.

He finally plants his feet on the ground and heads for the shower, dreading his one o’clock Physics recitation today, and it’s not because of the in-class homework anymore.

\--------------

This is Jared’s second week with having Jensen as his new Physics TA, and things really haven’t gotten better. Both Jensen-wise and class-wise. He’s still having troubles on all the new material that’s coming his way, and that’s still including the material he didn’t understand at the start of class. He thought he would eventually pick it up, but between all his other classes, soccer practices, and having a life outside of school, he hasn’t found the time to actually study his notes or read through the textbook and lecture slides.

Jared makes it to his recitation class with another ten seconds to spare. Whoever decided to put his calculus class way across campus really had it out for him. He really needed to invest in a bike or something because this is ridiculous. He already gets enough of a workout from soccer. He didn’t need to add a quarter mile sprint to his daily routine, but at least it guarantees his usual spot in the back of the classroom where he usually likes to be.

He sets his backpack on the ground and looks up to see most the students have broken up into groups of four to work on problems one through ten from Chapter 3 as stated by the directions on the whiteboard. He glances around the room and counts a total of sixteen people in class today, which makes him the odd one out as the seventeenth person. There is a total of twenty people signed up for this specific class, but it looks like three of them either skipped or are sick today. He awkwardly gets up out of his chair and looks around the room to see any of his fellow classmates notice his lack of group and was willing to invite him into their group, but no one looks his way. His shyness prevented him from going up to anyone to ask too, so he was just left standing there holding his backpack.

He was so busy rushing into class, getting situated, and trying to find a group that he didn’t even notice Jensen wasn’t in the classroom, but coincidentally, as he made that mental note, Jensen walked into the classroom and closes the door.

“Sorry guys! I was just in the bathroom.”

Jensen scans the room, and claps his hands. “Looks like most of you have broken up into groups already, so just work on the problems on the board and return them to me after class. You only need one sheet per group, so don’t worry about turning in individual copies, but it’ll be good to write these down in your notes to study later for the upcoming midterm in a couple weeks. Hint hint. Wink wink.” Jensen chuckles, and the class laughs along as the sound of rustling paper being taken out of backpacks can be heard as they take Jensen’s hint.

Jared was shuffling on his feet, and before Jared decides to sit down and work on the problems himself, Jensen catches Jared and yells across the room.

“Oh Jared, come on up here!” Jensen motions him over.

Jared startles at Jensen calling him over. He squeezes between the desks and seats of the people around him before he makes it to the front of classroom.

“How are you doing today?” Jensen smiles.

“O- Oh, I’m fine I guess. Just trying to find a group.” Jared waves his hand over to everyone who is already in a group of four.

“Yeah, I actually did that on purpose. I knew that Rob, Richard, and Matt weren’t gonna be in class today. They’re currently on a field trip for another class,” Jensen confesses. Jared turns to him with a confused expression, his eyebrows raised.

“Wait, what? Why?”

“I graded your homework from last week, Jared, and it’s not looking any better than the worksheet you turned into me last week. I know you didn’t want to come into office hours or anything, so I thought this would be the next best thing.” Jensen points to a desk in the corner right next to the window and away from most of the other desks. “I set up a couple of seats over there in that corner desk for us to work together and for you to talk about any of the troubles you’re having. I asked another TA to come in and help me out when I’m working with you, and speaking of that…”

Jensen turns around to the sound of another person opening the door. The class turns their head to the sound to see another tall man, maybe around Jared’s height, walk into the classroom. He’s relatively scruffy, hair ruffed up, with a dazzling smile that lights up a room.

“Hey guys! This is my good friend, Zach.” Jensen goes to clap him on the shoulder. Jared recognizes him as Zachary Levi. He was one of his professor’s research assistants that came into his class the first week of school where he brought in some of the research he was working on as a way to “excite” the class about learning Physics. “He’s another grad student in the Physics department, and he agreed to lend me a hand during class.”

“Hey everyone! If you need any help on today’s assignment, feel free to ask me. I’ll also be around in the next few weeks as well, and don’t worry, I promise I’m just as smart and helpful as Jensen, maybe a little more,” Zach laughs.

Jensen grins and goes to shake his hand and clap him on the back before Zach takes the usual spot that Jensen used to occupy at the front desk. Jensen walks back over to Jared.

“Sorry about that, Jared. What was I saying?” Jensen pauses and takes a moment to collect himself, and Jared thinks it’s the cutest thing watching the little motors turn his head trying to formulate his thoughts. _Argghhhh. Stop it, Jared. You can’t be thinking like that._ Jensen snaps his fingers. “Oh yeah! I purposely set aside some time to work with you during class time to help you, and I already brought Zach in, so you’re pretty much stuck with me, and I’m not gonna give up on you, Jared.” Jensen smiles.

Jared smiles back, but is silently screaming on the inside. There goes his plan on avoiding Jensen all term out the window, and he can’t even calculate its velocity or the time it takes before it hits the ground and breaks into a million pieces, which is how Jared might feel at the end of the term.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long delay! Wasn't feeling totally inspired in the recent weeks, but really just wanted to move the story along, so this is the product. I'm sorry if it's really bad. I took so many breaks when writing this chapter.

Jared shivers once more as Jensen again brushes up against his arm as he reaches over to Jared’s sheet of paper to show the steps on how to draw a proper free body diagram. (To be honest, Jared just sees a box with a bunch of arrows coming out of it, but since Jensen is the one teaching him, he’s trying a little harder to understand what it represents.) This was probably the fifth time Jensen has brushed his arm, and if he didn’t know any better, it’s like he was doing it on purpose. I mean, Jensen didn’t have to sit so close to him, but then again, the classroom wasn’t that big, and it was easier for Jared to hear him over everyone’s voices, but it’s nice to pretend maybe Jensen likes him too and just wants to be close to him.

He knows he’s just getting his hopes up.

Jared can still feel the heat radiating off of him as if he was his own personal heater on this cold, September day. At the same time, he can smell his musky and bold cologne and something that’s specifically Jensen that makes Jared feel a little lightheaded. Oh what it would be like to wake up next to him. To see him smile and say good morning, to kiss him awake, to wrap himself around that warmth and…

_Okay, you really need to stop.  You are being ridiculous. Just focus on finishing this damn problem so you can leave and not have to deal with this torture._

“Did you get that?”

Jared’s focus immediately focuses back to the problem on the page rather than the spot off to the right where he was just mindlessly thinking about Jensen in his bed. Yeah, he needs help.

“Oh, umm, no, sorry, I missed that,” Jared confesses.

“Oh, no worries,” Jensen points at the free body diagram again. “I was just saying that you need to take the sum of the forces to find the total force on the object. The total force on the object will help you determine which direction the object will move. Does that make sense?” Jensen glances up from the page to gauge Jared’s reaction.

“Oh… yeah. I think I get it,” Jared lies.

Jensen stares at him for a couple of seconds, and Jared starts to panic. His piercing eyes looking like they’re trying to find some hidden secret within him, which he does, but he just hopes Jensen doesn’t figure that out.

“Jared, you can be honest with me. If I’m not being helpful at all, I can get Zach to come over or-“

“Oh no no! You’re doing fine, Jensen!” Jared rushes out. “Don’t worry. I’m just… I’m just not really focused right now. It’s just hard to concentrate, and I feel guilty. This is probably the last thing you want to do as a TA. Help out such a helpless student two full hours a day,” Jared spews out. He didn’t mean to confess that, but it’s hard not to lie to Jensen.

Jensen gives him that gaze again that lasts a little too long. Jared shifts a little uncomfortably in his seat and looks out the window as a potential escape from his eyes.

“Jared… you have nothing to worry about. I became a TA because I knew someday I was gonna be a professor, and one of the most important things a professor can do is help and support their students. I want to help, and knowing I’m helping you in some way shape or form, is what makes me love what I do… and makes me happy,” Jensen smiles.

Jared’s a little caught off guard. It’s not really normal for a TA to lay their heart out like that to their students, but Jensen is different, and maybe that’s what made Jared fall for him in the first place. His honesty, his loyalty, his caring attitude… wow, whoever is in Jensen’s life is so fortunate and lucky. Jared feels a surge of jealously and longing at the thought.

“I wanna be here for you, so anything that’s bothering you, you can tell me. Would it be easier for me to tutor you privately instead? It’ll probably be better anyways so we won’t have to deal with the commotion during class, and it can either be at your place or at my office. Whatever is more comfortable for you,” Jensen grins.

_You know… maybe it would be easier if this was private. Having everybody around me being all smart and solving these problems like they’re nothing is really ruining-_

Jared eyes widen as his brain finally processes that last tidbit. Jensen… in his home? Jared’s heartbeat picks up a little more at the thought of Jensen at his place. What if he totally judges him? His brain catalogs every mess that still needs to be cleaned, reminds him of the trash that needs to be taken out as soon as possible, and anything your normal college student would be worried about before having their parents come over and inspect your living space.

“Yeah, sure. Ummm… I can email you my address?” Jared stutters out.

“Yeah, that sounds perfect! Does this Saturday work for you?” Jensen offers.

“Sure, that works fine for me.” Jared shuffles his papers as the other students start to pack up with the class period ending soon. “Ummm… I’ll see you then?”

“Sounds great.” Jensen smiles another award-winning smile that Jared can really never get enough of. “I’ll see you then.” He gives Jared a seemingly harmless pat on the back, reassuring his support for Jared and his learning, but all Jared really feels is his face starting to turn red as he basically rushes out of the classroom hoping to avoid embarrassment.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my FIRST EVER fic. Please comment and provide any advice and critique because I need all the help I can get! Please let me know if you like the prompt and whether I should continue! I'll promise the next chapters will be way longer. <3


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